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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. hand — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. tube — a container
  9. row — a line
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hand — help
  12. tube — the underground
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. stock — goods
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com